1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information processing method and, in particular, to a method for preparing a graphical user interface (GUI) on a client by utilizing an electronic mail message or an agent.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to prepare a user interface, particularly a graphical user interface (GUI) on a client personal computer (PC) which is in a remote environment, it is typically necessary to prepare binary codes executable on the PC for use in development. The executable binary codes are then loaded on the client PC for execution. As referred to herein, a "GUI" (Graphical User Interface) is a screen format which allows a user to initiate a command, start a program or view a list of files by using a pointing device to point to and to select a screen expression (icon) or a menu item on the screen. Typically, the pointing device is a keyboard or a mouse.
While there are methods for automatically generating GUIs by utilizing a hypertext markup language (HTML) such as, for example, by utilizing a browser program called Netscape Navigator (a trademark of Netscape), a client PC has to have a compatible browser and sufficient memory capacity to display the generated GUI. Often the memory capacity required to operate the browser is such that a PC having a small memory capacity will not operate.
Thus, a new GUI containing, for example, a service content can be modified by a server, or other host side device (in a network service environment), such that the modified GUI consumes a large amount of memory and can not be displayed on all of the client PCs, or personal digital assistants (PDAs), requiring service.
In addition, since different clients may have different programs for displaying GUIs in the prior art, a server is required to send a program describing a displayed content which conforms to a GUI display program possessed by each client being served by the server. In other words, as many different GUI display programs as the kinds of GUI display programs which users are using have to be prepared by the server. It can be appreciated that this can result in a significant expenditure of time and of labor at the server.
Also, if there is no mechanism to identify each type of PC being served by the server, then it may not be possible to provide a display corresponding to each client PC.
In the case of a conventional browser program, on the other hand, every input from a user has to be communicated on-line which results in a heavy load between a client and a server. Further, if a communication path is disconnected due to an accident, such on-line processing can not handle such input.
In view of the disadvantages of the prior art described above, it can be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide an improved technique for preparing a graphical user interface on a client device which overcomes these disadvantages.